Thursday, November 27, 2008

The same all the world over

The Mumbai assault, by contrast, was “uniquely disturbing,” said Sajjan Gohel, a security expert in London, because it seemed directed at foreigners, involved hostage taking and was aimed at multiple “soft, symbolic targets.” The attacks “aimed to create maximum terror and human carnage and damage the economy,” he said in a telephone interview.

No one was being allowed, but I somehow sneaked in. Once inside, I came to know that the terrorists were on the sixth floor. They tried to take people in rooms there hostage, but didn’t succeed as the rooms were locked.

Minutes later, policemen tried to reach the upper floors, but were stopped in their tracks by grenades hurled by the terrorists. I saw at least three grenades fly.

After the second grenade exploded, shattering glasses and shaking the entire hotel building, I was reduced to tears.